A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 21 - Tuesday, May 25th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Despite kisses, emigre church still faults patriarchateORTHODOX HIERARCHS FINALLY KISS by Dmitry Filimonov Izvestiia, 19 May 2004 - On Tuesday in the Saint Daniel's monastery there was the first official meeting of Patriarch Alexis II with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Metropolitan Laurus [Lavr].
The heads of the two Orthodox churches shook one another's hand and kissed three times. The rapprochement of RPTs and ROCOR, concerning which Orthodox believers have talked a long time, has achieved reality.
Even quite recently fellowship between "Muscovites" and "Emigres" was unthinkable. To say nothing of kissing. "The present meetings and the first steps that have begun of rapprochement are the desire of the hearts of many people since the reasons which divided us have disappeared," Alexis II said.
Talk about a possible unification began back at the dawn of perestroika, but these talks were strictly hypothetical. The main reason for this was the then head of ROCOR, Metropolitan Vitaly Ustinov, who is a clear opponent of the idea of the merger of the two churches. He called the Moscow patriarchate the devil incarnate, begotten by the NKVD. However in 2000 the reason disappeared. As a result of a protracted, multifaceted operation conducted by associates, Metropolitan Vitaly signed his abdication. In 2001 Metropolitan Laurus became head of ROCOR. The chief strategist and tactician in all this was Archbishop of Berlin and Germany Mark Arndt.
Upon coming to power the new hierarchs seemed to ignore the idea of rapprochement. But on 24 September 2003 President Putin met with the hierarchs while he was in New York and reminded them: Fathers, the time has come. The the president handed over to Metropolitan Laurus an invitation from Alexis II to visit Moscow.
About two months later a delegation led by Archbishop Mark flew into Russia to prepare the ground for a meeting of the heads of the two churches. On the Moscow side the most active part in the negotiations on the question of the approach of the two churches was taken by Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov, whom reporters persistently identify as the spiritual advisor of President Putin. However, Fr Tikhon himself modestly repudiates the designation as the "motor" of the negotiating process.
Yesterday's meeting of the two hierarchs was
historic, although it did not cause a sensation.
Because, despite bold declarations, the disputes
between the two churches remain. First, there is
the longstanding accusation that the "Emigres"
make against the "Muscovites": kowtowing to
governmental authority. But the greatest current
accusation is "ecumenism." That is, fellowship
with non-Orthodox confession. "Ecumenism is the
heresy of heresies," Metropolitan Laurus said in
one of his interviews on the eve of his arrival in
Russia. "And therefore it is important that the
Moscow patriarchate depart from the ecumenical
movement." In order to remove the disagreements,
commissions of RPTs and ROCOR have been created.
The task of the commissions is "to work out common
understanding" on the following topics:
"principles of mutual relations between the church
and state" and "principles of mutual relations of
the Orthodox church with non-Orthodox
communities." If the two churches manage to settle
the fundamental disagreements, unification will
occur. But for this to happen the sides must make
mutual concessions. (tr. by PDS) |
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